If you go
› What: Incline Art Crawl› Where: Old Mountain Road at West 40th Street, St. Elmo› When: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 14-15› Admission: Free› For more information: 423-313-3427
Painting by Brianna Bass.For 10 years, Elizabeth Miller toyed with the idea of creating an event that would cause visitors to the Incline Railway to stay in St. Elmo after their ride and explore her neighborhood.
"I've lived here 10 years watching all these international visitors who visit but don't linger in the neighborhood. Here we are with three new breweries, 1885 Grille going like gangbusters, and I thought this was the perfect place for an art show to bring locals and international visitors together," she says. "With the fall foliage, it's the best time of year."
Her dream will become reality on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 14-15, when the first Incline Art Crawl launches in St. Elmo.
This pop-up art gallery will feature 40 exhibitors in a show on Old Mountain Road, which runs parallel to the Incline Railway tracks up Lookout Mountain.
Miller suggests visitors take advantage of free parking at the St. Elmo Food City, then walk over to Old Mountain Road via the stairway between Mojo Burrito and Mr. T's.
"Old Mountain Road starts on St. Elmo Avenue. It's obscure and runs parallel to the Incline," Miller says.
Miller loves that Incline riders will be able to see the art gallery as they ascend and descend Lookout Mountain, "so my hope is that rather than getting in their cars when they leave the Incline, and heading off to another point in town, they'll walk over and see the show, then visit St. Elmo's restaurants and businesses."
To encourage this, every visitor will receive an Art Crawl Passport, a booklet of specials and discounts offered by St. Elmo businesses.
Miller's plan is to make this a biannual art show. She said local artists have been very receptive of the idea, especially since there is no exhibitor's fee and they keep all money from sales. Miller says a grant is paying expenses for this inaugural show.
Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.
Photography by Zachary Cross.
Purse by Sale Creek artist Melissa McClure.